


Puppy Eyes

by carloabay



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Chillin in a garden, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Play Fighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28404117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carloabay/pseuds/carloabay
Summary: The group takes a peaceful holiday in the Van Eck garden. Trassel has other ideas.
Relationships: Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck, Kaz Brekker & Inej Ghafa & Nina Zenik & Jesper Fahey & Wylan Van Eck & Matthias Helvar, Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa, Matthias Helvar/Nina Zenik
Comments: 12
Kudos: 63





	Puppy Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lynn_Forster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lynn_Forster/gifts).



> The lovely Lynn_Forster asked for a fic:
> 
> _Here's an idea: "Post Crooked Kingdom, Everyone Lives - The crows have planned a relaxing afternoon in Van Eck's garden, but Trassel does everything to catch their attention and force them to play with him."_
> 
> And I was very happy to deliver! I hope you like it!

"Who bought the wolf a tug rope?" Matthias grunted, stumping out into the garden, trailing Trassel.

" _Bought_?" Jesper asked, sitting bolt upright with a look of feigned surprise on his face. "We don't do that here, Helvar." Matthias cast him a freezing look.

"Fine. Who _stole_ a tug rope and gave it to Trassel?" Trassel bounded over the grass to Wylan, flat on his stomach with his nose buried in a pile of sheet music. "Look at him," Matthias groaned. "He doesn't _play_."

"I think it's cute," Nina said, draped over the cushioned bench with a plate of pastries. Matthias gave her a look that could only be described as long-suffering.

"Let the dog live a little, Helvar," Kaz said mildly, hat over his face, hands folded on his stomach.

"Yeah, Helvar," Jesper mimicked. "Look, even Kaz is kicking back." Matthias slumped onto the arm of Nina's bench and she poured sympathetically up at him.

"Pastry, darling?" she asked. Matthias thawed a little.

"Where are they from?"

"Surprise," Nina replied, eyes glinting wickedly. Matthias took one, a suspicious line between his eyebrows.

"Inej, there's a pack of Dime Lions wreaking havoc near the Crow Club," Kaz said, muffled under the brim of his hat.

"How many is a pack?" Inej was cross-legged by the pond, watching the fish wiggle through the water like multicoloured darts.

"Four."

"Kaz," Jesper whined, throwing an arm over his face. "This is supposed to be a little holiday. Relax, for once in your Ghezen-damned life."

"He is relaxed," Wylan piped up, without looking over. "I've never seen Kaz so sleepy before in my life." Nina snorted, spraying sugar all over Matthias's lap.

"Watch it, merchling," Kaz warned. Inej grinned at the water.

The summer was misty that year, watery and whimsical, all pale sunlight and shy blue sky.

It was warm in the garden, painted gold by the afternoon sun. 

Wylan's feet floated in the air, kicking back and forth, little boats in the sky. Jesper watched him lazily, half-hooded eyes, an unconscious smile.

In a sliver of vision beneath his hat, Kaz could see Inej, bent over the pond, trailing her fingers in the silvery water. 

Nina fed Matthias pastries with glee, and he allowed it, his cheeks bulging with food and a fond smile.

Trassel shoved his nose into Jesper's crotch.

"Hey!" Jesper yelled, jerked out of a trance, and he wriggled backwards. Trassel pounced on his lap, the tug toy swinging from his mouth, and Jesper pushed him away, half-laughing. "Nnf-" Jesper cried, muffled, as Trassel scrabbled onto his thin chest and shoved the toy into Jesper's face. "Help-"

The others looked on, mostly grinning, Kaz seemingly disdainful and unstirred beneath his hat. 

"Help-" Jesper gasped again, surfacing from Trassel's huge ruff, and Wylan laughed. "Wylan!"

"Something the matter, Jesper?"

"You'll pay for this, merchling," Jesper grumbled playfully, squirming underneath Trassel's huge paws.

"Take pity on him, Wylan," Nina called, in between bouts of laughter.

Kaz slid off his seat with a sigh, setting his hat right, and moved to the pond. Inej was watching Jesper's misfortune over her shoulder with a wide smile, sunlight glinting off her teeth.

Kaz squatted on the brick edge of the pond, following a pink fish around the pond with a keen eye. Hunched shoulders, like a crow on a window sill. Inej looked over.

"Pretty, aren't they?" she said. Kaz murmured an affirmative. "Favourite?" Kaz cast her a disparaging look, and she rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let loose the corset strings, Brekker."

"The pink one," he said, finally giving in, and Inej grinned again. Kaz set his shoulders back. Behind them, Wylan had joined in the game, and now the three of them were rolling around on the grass, giggling.

"I bet on Wylan, for the last pastry," Nina said confidently. Matthias squinted at the playfight.

"Trassel," he said. Nina shook her head with a sigh.

"Once a Fjerdan, always a Fjerdan. Have a little faith," she said, tipping her head back. Matthias watched her, sugar all around his mouth.

"You're beautiful." Nina smiled, sly.

Trassel bounced onto Wylan, panting, and Wylan shrieked.

"Jesper, double-team!" he yelled, and Jesper tackled Trassel, right around his fluffy middle. The two of them went rolling, but Trassel came out on top, and stared down at Jesper with massive grey eyes.

"Aw," Jesper panted. "Wylan, we lost. He's too cute."

"He is not _cute_ ," Matthias protested, sounding affronted. Trassel dropped the slobbery toy on Jesper's face and wagged his tail.

Kaz and Inej turned back to the pond with matching grins.

Wylan climbed on top of Jesper, shoving Trassel aside, and collapsed into his chest. 

Nina fed Matthias the last pastry with a mournful sigh.

The sun drew away from the garden, draping everything in lazy reddish hues.

**Author's Note:**

> ❤️


End file.
